3MTT: N1bn Airtel Africa Foundation’s grant to empower 25,000 Nigerians with new tech skills –Minister

*Dr. ’Bosun Tijani, Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, affirms the N1 billion grant from Airtel Africa Foundation to boost the 3MTT Nigeria programme for empowering over 25,000 people with in-demand technical skills, including Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, is in tandem with the current administration’s objective of enhancing the country’s ‘digital workforce’

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

The Federal Government has received N1 billion grant from the Airtel Africa Foundation for the 3MTT Nigeria programme towards training and empowering over 25,000 people with in-demand technical skills.

ConsumerConnect reports Dr. ’Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, disclosed this development Wednesday, March 26, 2025.

Affirming the objective of the grant, Dr. Tijani, in a post via his verified social media account, stated: “Today (Wednesday), we received a N1 billion grant from the Airtel Africa Foundation for our 3MTT Nigeria programme towards training and empowering over 25,000 Nigerians with in-demand technical skills.”

The Minister also explained the fresh gran by the Airtel Africa Foundation would “cover hands-on training, community engagement, and job placement initiatives.”

He affirmed the Telco’s provision of the grant is in tandem with the objective of enhancing Nigeria’s digital workforce in alignment with H.E President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s (GCFR) Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Grateful to the Airtel Africa Foundation for collaborating with us as we work to position Nigeria as a key player in the global technology landscape,” Tijani further stated.

Also underscoring the significance of equipping Nigerians with the needed skills at a fecent event, President Tinubu emphasised that his administration is “implementing, among others, the 3 million Technical Talents programme (3MTT) of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, aimed at building Nigeria’s technical talent backbone.”

Earlier, the Minister Tijani during his engagement with Google, had highlighted the core deliverables contained in the Ministry’s “Strategic Blueprint”, and said: “This significant commitment, which is in alignment with our Strategic Blueprint, will be directed towards the following initiatives.”

The Minister disclosed the DeepTech Ready Upskilling Programme, which involves a training programme “which will operate within the framework of our 3MTT Nigeria initiative to empower 20,000 Nigerians with advanced technical skills in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.”

He equally mentioned other technology-oriented initiatives for which the global tech giant would provide resources and training to include Experience AI Programme, co-developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind to introduce young people aged 11-14 to the fundamentals of AI.

Tijani said the Apolitical Government AI Campus Programme, which is described as a virtual platform providing government officials and policymakers with access to resources and training on AI governance and application is also part of the blueprint.

Strategies for Nigerian Telcos to address talent migration, by Dr. Maida, NCC Chief

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has emphasised the significance of creating a conducive environment that values and nurtures talents in the telecoms sector of the country’s economy.

Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO), who noted this while speaking at the 5th Edition of the Telecom Sector Sustainability Forum (TSSF) 5.0 with the theme, “Mitigating the Effects of Talent Exodus and its Impact on the Growth of Nigeria’s Telecommunications Industry”, in Lagos, urged telecoms industry stakeholders to further evolve an environment crucial to retaining skilled professionals in the all-important sector of the economy.

Represented at the event by Mr. Tunji Jimoh, NCC Lagos Zonal Controller, the EVC/CEO of NCC called for immediate action to prevent further loss of skilled professionals in the telecoms sector.

The Commission also disclosed that over 500 software engineers, and more than 2,000 trained telecoms experts left Nigeria, in 2022, thereby posing a significant threat to the industry’s future.

Maida equally warned that the global demand for technology talents has driven several Nigerian brightest minds to seek more lucrative opportunities overseas.

He opined if this trend is left unchecked, the development could create a skills gap that threatens the sustainability of the telecom sector in the West African country.

However, in addressing the talent migration challenge, Dr. Maida encouraged the Telcos to offer more attractive working conditions to attract and retain good hands.

On regular upskilling, reskilling initiatives to enhance competencies

Underscoring the importance of regular upskilling and reskilling initiatives to enhance the competencies of the existing workforce, Maida stressed that investing in professional development not only improves a company’s talent pool but also provides incentives for employees to remain in Nigeria.

The Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC also highlighted the Commission’s role in curbing talent migration through initiatives aimed at promoting indigenous content and improving the infrastructure necessary for digital growth in Nigeria.

Maida averred: “The Commission is actively participating in the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, initiated by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, which aims to train 3 million Nigerians in digital and technical skills by 2027.”